New Revenues Allow Dane County to Expand Mental Health Services

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8/12/2004

Mental Health crisis services in Dane County will be expanded as a result of $219,629 in Federal Medical Assistance revenues the county has secured, County Executive Kathleen Falk announced today.

“We know we can help our citizens with mental illness ease their pain and lead productive lives when matched with the right service,” said Falk. “That is why we have done the work at the county level to earn additional dollars that allow us to expand services to citizens with mental illness.”

Falk pointed out that providing services in the community maintains the person’s independence and is also significantly less expensive than psychiatric hospitalization at a facility like Mendota Mental Health Institute, which can cost upwards of $600 per day.

The increase of $219,629 in revenues that the county has generated will provide services performed under contract with Dane County Mental Health, a private, non-profit organization, and other agencies, as follows:
· Serve an additional 44 people at Recovery House, a home staffed on an as needed basis to provide short-term support to individuals who are having a mental health crisis which keeps them from living in their own homes ($54,448).
· Provide an additional 1,185 days of a Crisis Aide support worker to provide daily tasks to individuals who are having a mental health crisis, so they can continue to live in the community ($73,989).
· Serve an additional 163 people in Adult Family Homes/Crisis Homes. These are individuals and families in the community who open their homes to assist people during a short-term mental health crisis. These homes receive a stipend for the people they serve ($75,000).
· The remaining $16,192 supports administration of the expanded services.

“Since 2002, we’ve better than doubled our outside revenues for mental crisis intervention and stabilization services from this new MA benefit, bringing in over $1 million extra.” said Falk. “Those dollars don’t come automatically.” The county had to organize staff and work with the “purchase of service” agencies to qualify to receive the dollars. Many counties forgo the extra dollars because of the work involved in qualifying.

“Our staff and our contract agencies have been working especially hard to squeeze every dime we can out of these revenue sources,” said Falk.

“This is a valued partnership between the County and our nonprofit agencies in the children’s and adult mental health system here in Dane County,” said Falk.

Dane County’s $11 million contract with the Mental Health Center of Dane County, a private, non-profit organization, is the single largest contract signed by Dane County each year outside of the contract for health insurance for county employees.

Falk made the announcement at Yahara House, 802 East Gorham Street, in Madison, which provides a variety of support services for those with mental illness.